Punahou’s KO victory just in time for Iolani

After escaping a Maryknoll upset, the top-ranked Buffanblu gear up for a big rematch vs. Raiders

If ever a favorite was on the ropes, it was top-ranked Punahou on Saturday night.

Maryknoll bobbed and weaved and scored points with jabs against the favorite in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

With a minute left, the Spartans took a 47-46 lead on a free throw by Travis Liu, who had missed his first attempt.

For long-suffering Spartans basketball fans, this would finally be the night when tiny Maryknoll could knock out one of the elite teams of the ILH. After all, this generation of players wasn't around when the Spartans last were a force in the ILH.

Instead, disaster struck.

Miah Ostrowski's hanging, 16-foot jumper from the baseline met nothing but nylon. Oddly enough, the scoreboard clock did not begin for at least 2 seconds as Ostrowski worked his way to the winning shot.

After a long discussion, officials let the clock stand at 7 seconds.

Punahou, feeling fortunate after Ostrowski's clutch shot, questioned the decision, but did not argue.

Maryknoll never got a clean look for a possible winning shot. Though the double bonus was in effect, the Spartans didn't come close to getting contact.

Tyler Tsukazaki, held to 10 points, mustered an off-balance 20-footer at the buzzer that did not meet iron. Jordan Ho-Ching, who effectively rang up points in the second half, never got a touch. He finished with 11 points.

"I wish we'd tried to attack the basket at the end. We never got a (good) shot off," Maryknoll coach Blaine Gier said.

Somehow, some way, Punahou escaped with the decision. In another surreal way, it felt like no surprise, perhaps not even to the 500 fans at Mid-Pacific Gym.

It is of small consolation to the Spartans that the panel of coaches and media vaulted them one spot to No. 6 in today's Star-Bulletin Boys Basketball Top 10. Of all the local competition Punahou has faced, the closest battles have been with their rival across the street, Maryknoll.

Punahou's previous win over the neighbor on Wilder Street was by an eight-point margin.

"We knew we could play with the best," Gier said, more pent up than sad after the game.

The best, though not easiest way to gain a state-tourney berth out of the ILH is to finish among the top two. Trying to win the postseason tournament for third place and the final state berth is brutal, as many as three games in four days.

Placing among the top two in the league is as tough as it gets. Five of the seven teams in ILH Division I are in the Top 10 statewide. That's why Maryknoll's rise to the sixth spot means little.

Early test: No. 1 Punahou visits No. 2 Iolani in an early showdown tomorrow night. The Raiders weren't at full strength during a loss to Punahou at the James Alegre Invitational last month.

Forwards Jon Takamura and Kiran Kepo'o are available to play this time, but Punahou's leading scorer, Ostrowski, has shaken off the rust since that game. It was his first week of roundball action after the end of football season.

Tip-off at Iolani is set for 7:30 p.m.

En fuego: Kahuku moved up a notch to No. 5, thanks in part to the scoring rampage of senior guard Okesene Ale Jr. The 6-foot-1 returnee has averaged 31.5 points in Kahuku's two league games thus far.

Kahuku's elevation in the poll left Kamehameha-Hawaii behind. The Warriors limited Konawaena to seven first-half points in a 52-39 win on Saturday, but failed to get the attention of panelists.